Improvement in horse hay-forks



. CUMMINS;

Horse Hay Fork.

Patented March 9, 1869.

PETERS. P'mio-Lilho nphnn wumn m, n. c.

UNITED STATES JEPTHA CUMMINS, OFPERRY, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE HAY-FORKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 87,643, dated March 9, 1869.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JEPTHA CUMMINS, of Perry,in the county of Shiawassee, and in the ,State of Michigan, have invented certain new ings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention, consists in the construction and general arrangement of a horse hay-fork, which will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which myinvention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view; and Fig. 2 i aside view, in section, showing the locking apparatus.

A represents the handle, which is curved,as shown in Fig. 1. The upper end of the handle forms or is provided with a ring, in which the hoisting-rope is secured, and the lower end is slotted or forked, as shown. In this slot the fork B is pivoted, the upper end of the fork having a notch, or, as shown in Fig. 2. I11 the same slot on thehandle and asuitable distance above the upper end of the fork Ba trigger, O, is also pivoted. The lower end of the trig g'er has a catch, 12, which fits into the notch a and holds the forkup. A spring, D, is secured to thebackof the handle A, and extends down so as to hold the catch 1) steadyin the notch a. At the lower end of the handle A in front of the pointwhere the forkB is pivoted is placed a loop, E, which protects the joint from the hay, and also serves as a guide for the triggerrope e, which is fastened in the upper end of the trigger 0, passes under the loop E and down between the tines of the fork B.

When the fork B is inserted into the hay it is only necessary to bend the handle A forward, when the catch bwill slip into the notch a, and the spring 1) pressing it firmly, the fork will be held outward in position to hoist the fork. By pulling the trigger-rope e the catch 1) is released from the notch a, and the fork drops down from the weight of the hay on the same.

This hay-fork is very-simple and cheap and can be made by any blacksmith.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the slotted or forked handle A, fork B, trigger 0, spring D,'loop E, notch a, and catch b, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of December, 1868. Y

' JEPIHA OUMMINS. Witnesses:

DANIEL VIRGIL, WM. A. SIMONS. 

